Lost without my words

Everyone expresses themselves differently. Some people, much to their spouses dismay, like to run out the door with their paper and plastic and return three hours later with ten bags from Gucci. Other individuals will hash out their emotions on their Playstation, X Box, Wii, or other video game devices of choice. For me, nothing is more eloquent or relaxing than words.

I have always had a great love for poetry. I remember getting my first poetry book when I was eight, and perusing through it for hours. Any work of art that expresses emotion, whether it be pain or happiness, is something that I can respect and relate to. I love music, but not for the melody. Each song has a unique collection of words that have been strung together like a quilt to portray one big picture. The words of a song can move, comfort, entertain, or inspire me.

When I was ten, my mother gave me a notebook where I could write my own poetry, and ever since then I have transformed several of my emotions into words with rhythm and beauty. In recent year I have transformed several of these into songs on the piano and guitar.

Each of my poems has focused on something that has been bothering me, and I try to write poems that others can relate to. Words help us see that we can all share the same emotions and experiences. I find that it is much easier to write about discomforting emotions like rage and sadness, but the most beautiful poems have been written to inspire us to greater heights.

While most people don’t have the natural ability that I do to convey something through words, I believe we all have the ability to feel emotion and kinship through these literary works of art.

Without words I would be lost. Words have defined my life and helped me through the toughest, loneliest moments that I have experienced. Without the words of others I may never have risen to where I am now. Several other writers have inspired me to keep going, or to make a difference in the world. I believe that each of us can find solace and comfort through words, and that words can lift us from our struggles, and make us want to make a difference.

Words have changed my life. They have molded my career choice, my hobbies, my art, and helped me express myself in ways that I never would have without them. Without words, I would have been lost in a sea of thought.

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Growing up in the former Yugoslavia, lawyer Djenita Pasic enjoyed the peace of her religiously diverse country. But after the fall of communism and the outbreak of the Bosnian War, Pasic was forced to reevaluate her ideas about religion and tolerance. Click here to read her essay.